ANT/RI inviting oil, gas investors from US

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia is currently conducting a roadshow in Houston, the US, in an effort to invite US oil and gas companies to invest more in the country.

"Indonesia is asking US businesses especially oil and gas companies in the South to invest more in Indonesia," Indonesian Consul in Houston, Al Busyro Basnur said in a written statement received by ANTARA News here on Friday.

He said the US is the seventh biggest investor in Indonesia with most investment put in the oil and gas sector.

In Houston meanwhile there are around 5,000 companies operating in the sector, he said.

The roadshow is organized by the ministry of energy and mineral resources in cooperation with the Indonesian consulate general in Houston, state-owned oil/gas company Pertamina, Greater Houston Partnership, the US Trade Department and Arnold & Knoblock Law Firm.

More than 80 invitees consisting of CEOs and executives from around 60 small and medium companies operating in the oil, gas, IT, mining and construction sectors attended the promotion forum staged at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry office in Houston on Wednesday (Oct 13).

The director of commercial service of the Houston chapter of the US Trade Department, Duaine Priestley said on the occasion that Indonesia is one of the emerging global economic powerhouses.

Priestley said in every briefing to US businessmen the US Trade Department had always mentioned Indonesia as an export and investment target and a potential source due among others to its fast economic growth.

Most participants of the road show had expressed their interest to study more seriously the potential for their business to expand in the country.

Besides a roadshow the Indonesian delegation had also held business meetings with several oil and gas company executives such as from Marathon, Anadarko, Murphy Oil, Tradewind and Challenger.

The delegation members had also become resource persons at a discussion in Southeast Asia Petroleum Exploration Society in their monthly meeting.(*)